If you are looking for accurate bass tabs and sheet music for “First Date” by Blink-182, you have found the right spot. A massive, Platinum-certified hit from their 2001 album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, this track is a masterclass in classic pop-punk bass. While the iconic guitar riff is what gets stuck in everyone’s head, it is actually the relentlessly driving bass line that holds the entire song together. Below, you will find the officially licensed sheet music, my Session Notes on nailing Mark Hoppus’s signature tone, and a timestamped breakdown to help you practice along.
Get the Accurate First Date Bass Transcription (PDF & Sheet Music)
Feel free to just jump straight in to the tab and sheet music at the links below, but make sure you come back to check out my session notes on tone, technique, and the song’s breakdown!
👉 Download from Sheet Music Direct
👉 Download from Sheet Music Plus
👉 Download from MuseScore
👉 Download from Musicnotes
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Listen To The Original Track
Before you dive into the sheet music, press play below and listen to how the driving, steady eighth notes of the bass perfectly ground the bouncy, off-beat guitar riff in the intro.
Song Structure:
Before getting into the song structure below, it is worth noting that the above is the music video which has an extended intro of about about 0:14 before the song actually starts, so I have based the timings on the studio version of the song (pasted below the song structure for reference as well).
- 0:00 – Intro: The song kicks off with that legendary syncopated guitar riff. The bass drops in directly on the root notes, providing the driving eighth-note foundation that makes the off-beat guitar work so well.
- 0:12 – Verse 1: The guitar drops out, leaving the bass and drums to carry the entire verse. Keep your picking completely even and locked tightly to the kick drum.
- 0:32 – Chorus 1: The full band explodes back in. Maintain your stamina and keep driving those root notes hard beneath the vocal melody.
- 0:52 – Interlude: The iconic guitar riff returns. Lock right back into that driving eighth-note groove from the intro to anchor the syncopation.
- 1:03 – Verse 2: Back to the exposed bass and drum groove. Stay completely in the pocket and don’t let the adrenaline from the chorus make you rush the tempo.
- 1:23 – Chorus 2: Hit this chorus with the exact same aggressive pick attack as the first. Ensure every note speaks clearly and cuts through the mix.
- 1:43 – Instrumental Bridge: This section is all about the dramatic rhythmic shift. The groove opens up, and you need to lock in perfectly with Travis’s snare and kick accents. Keep your time incredibly tight as the tension builds layer by layer toward the final drop.
- 2:13 – Chorus 3: The final massive chorus. Dig in with your pick, push through any forearm burn, and drive those eighth notes home.
- 2:33 – Outro: The track wraps up with a return to the main riff and a few final, abrupt hits. Make sure you use your fretting hand to mute the strings perfectly on that very last chord to stick the landing.
Song Information
Title: First Date
Artist: Blink-182
Album: Take Off Your Pants And Jacket
Bassist: Mark Hoppus
Difficulty: Beginner
Tuning: Standard Tuning
Key: C Major
Tempo: 96
Bass Diary Entry: The Soundtrack to Awkward Teen Romance
I used to always forget that this and The Rock Show are not only basically the same BPM, but also the exact same track length. It genuinely used to throw me off when I was ripping Blink albums back in the day — I’d be convinced something had gone wrong or that one of the tracks had cut short. Nope… just Blink doing their thing.
As for the song itself, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket has always been one of my least revisited albums from Blink’s original run. Not because it’s bad — far from it — but Enema of the State and the self-titled/untitled album have always had a stronger pull for me. Those are the ones I keep going back to time and time again.
That probably wasn’t helped by the absolutely battered CD I borrowed from the library back in the day. It was so scratched that half the tracks barely played properly, which didn’t exactly help the album stick with me at the time.
That said, First Date is classic Blink. Bright, upbeat, catchy as anything, and impossible not to nod along to. It’s got that polished pop-punk energy that defined that era of the band, even if it’s not the album I reach for most often.
So maybe that’s the takeaway here — time to give TOYPAJ a bit more love. New project: revisit the album properly and finally give it the attention it deserves… starting with this one.
From a bass perspective, it’s all about keeping things tight, punchy and consistent. The bass sits right in the groove, supporting the song’s energy without overcomplicating things — a perfect example of solid pop-punk playing.
Session Notes: Tone & Technique
The Groove & Harmony
While the BPM sits at 96, the song pushes forward with a classic double-time punk feel. The primary role of the bass here is anchoring the harmony. Tom DeLonge’s guitar riffs in the intro and chorus are highly syncopated (playing off the beat), which means your eighth notes need to be completely rock-solid on the grid to keep the track from feeling loose or falling apart. When the guitar drops out during the verses, it is entirely up to you and the kick drum to carry the song’s momentum.
Emulating the Pop-Punk Tone
This is Mark Hoppus’s tone at its absolute peak—bright, punchy, and aggressive. To match it:
- Aggressive Pick Attack: Grab your pick and dig in. You want a heavy, driving attack to get that signature metallic pop-punk clank against the frets.
- Bright & Punchy EQ: You need fresh roundwound strings and a healthy boost in your high-mids (around 1kHz). Keep the tone knob on your bass rolled wide open.
- Fret-Hand Muting: There are a few stops and staccato moments where the bass and drums lock in tightly. Use your fretting hand to kill the string resonance immediately during those rests so the silences are just as punchy as the notes.
Get the Official Sheet Music
You’ve made it this far, so don’t settle for “close enough” tabs that often miss the nuances that make a bass line groove.
This First Date bass transcription is the result of hours of deep listening and research, ensuring you’re playing exactly what’s on the record.
Whether you’re prepping for a session or mastering your favourite tracks at home, get the professional edge with our officially licensed sheet music that ensures songwriters and performers are respected.from the below retailers!
👉 Download from Sheet Music Direct
👉 Download from Sheet Music Plus
👉 Download from MuseScore
👉 Download from Musicnotes
Affiliate Note: This page may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For full details on affiliate links, please see the Affiliate Link Policy.
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